Radiosensitizing Silica Nanoparticles Encapsulating Docetaxel for Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Abstract

Summary The applications of nanoparticles in oncology include enhanced drug delivery, efficient tumor targeting, treatment monitoring and diagnostics. The ‘theranostic properties’ associated with nanoparticles have shown enhanced delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs with superior imaging capabilities and minimal toxicities. In conventional chemotherapy, only a fraction of the administered drug reaches the tumor site or cancer cells. For successful translation of these formulations, it is imperative to evaluate the design and properties of these nanoparticles. Here, we describe the design of ultra-small silica nanoparticles to encapsulate a radiosensitizing drug for combined chemoradiation therapy. The small size of nanoparticles allows for better dispersion and uptake of the drug within the highly vascularized tumor tissue. Silica nanoparticles are synthesized using an oil-in-water microemulsion method. The microemulsion method provides a robust synthetic route in which the inner hydrophobic core is used to encapsulate chemotherapy drug, docetaxel while the outer hydrophilic region provides dispersibility of the synthesized nanoparticles in an aqueous environment. Docetaxel is commonly used for treatment-resistant or metastatic prostate cancer, and is known to have radiosensitizing properties. Here, we describe a systematic approach for synthesizing these theranostic nanoparticles and preparing them for use in prostate cancer.

Docetaxel promotes cell apoptosis and decreases SOX2 expression in CD133‑expressing hepatocellular carcinoma stem cells by suppressing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

“…Docetaxel belonging to the taxane family is a promising anticancer agent which is a semi-synthetic derivative from the needles of European yew (Taxus baccata) (16). Docetaxel has been widely used to treat breast (17), prostate (18), bladder (19), gastric (20), ovarian (21), head and neck (22) and non-small cell lung (23) cancers. Furthermore, the role of docetaxel in HCC treatment has been recognized due to its low toxicity and high therapeutic efficacy.…”

Current update on nanoplatforms as therapeutic and diagnostic tools: A review for the materials used as nanotheranostics and imaging modalities

“…Metal NPs can both serve as diagnostic and drug delivery tools because of their intriguing abilities such as small size, high reactive surface area, targetability to cells, functionalization capability etc. Metal or metaloid NPs as gold [149 , 150] , silica [151] and silicon oxide [152 , 153] , silver [154] , titanium oxide [155] and iron oxide [156] are commonly used in nanotheranostics.…”

Current Trends in Cancer Nanotheranostics: Metallic, Polymeric, and Lipid-Based Systems

“…With regard to the relevant targeting molecules, the GRPR antagonists show increased advantages over the agonists, such as a favorable pharmacokinetics (longer receptor retention followed by rapid clearance), a higher affinity for those receptors and higher in vivo stability (e.g., 177Lu-NeoBOMB1, 68Ga-NeoBOMB1) [98,99]. In addition, to the targeting moieties, anticancer treatments such as taxanes (e.g., docetaxel and paclitaxel) have been explored in association with several imaging and treatment modalities (e.g., radiation therapy and ultrasound imaging) [100,101,102]…”